Gaslighting Honda exposes teen drama
KNOXVILLE, TN – In a dramatic confrontation that left witnesses both perplexed and concerned, local teenager Emily Thompson, 17, publicly accused her car of gaslighting her after the low fuel light inexplicably came on while she was driving to Starbucks.
“I just filled this tank, like, two weeks ago,” Emily insisted, speaking to a group of concerned friends who gathered around her 2008 Honda Civic in the parking lot. “And now, suddenly, it’s telling me I’m almost out of gas? This is textbook manipulation.”
Emily, who had recently binge-watched several TikToks on narcissistic behavior, recognized the signs right away. “First, it tried to make me feel crazy by saying the tire pressure was low. I checked all the tires, and they seemed fine to me. And now this? It’s like it wants me to believe I’m doing something wrong when I know I’m not,” she explained, her voice tinged with the frustration of someone who’s been unjustly wronged by a four-wheeled companion.
“Honestly, this car has been undermining me since day one,” Emily continued. “Just last month, the check engine light came on for no reason at all, just when I was finally feeling confident about my driving. It’s like it knows when I’m feeling good about myself and just can’t handle me having that moment.”
Emily’s mother, Karen Thompson, expressed concern over her daughter’s escalating paranoia toward the vehicle. “She’s been talking to the car a lot lately, saying things like, ‘I’m not playing your games’ and ‘You’re just like all the others,’” Karen noted, referencing Emily’s previous heartbreaks involving her father’s refusal to buy her a Jeep Wrangler. “At first, I thought it was cute. But now I’m starting to worry that she’s projecting a little.”
Emily has since taken to social media, documenting her “toxic relationship” with the car through a series of Instagram stories under the hashtag #NotCrazyYouAre. In one video, she films herself staring down the dashboard while demanding, “What are you really trying to say?” She punctuates the video with the caption, “When your car can’t handle a strong, independent woman who knows how to read a speedometer… but not quite how much gas costs.”
Friends have rallied around Emily, many suggesting she deserves a better car that doesn’t “play games” or make her feel like she’s always “running on empty” emotionally. “Honestly, we’ve always known that Civic was bad news,” said her best friend, Jessica. “Remember when it wouldn’t start that one time? Total silent treatment. Major red flag.”
After several deep breaths and a quick mindfulness exercise recommended by an Instagram therapist, Emily decided to confront the car directly. “I stood in front of it, stared into its headlights, and said, ‘I’m not afraid of you.’ I was shaking, but I think it got the message,” she recounted.
Experts in teenage behavior and automotive maintenance were quick to weigh in. “What Emily is experiencing is not uncommon,” said Dr. Linda Wilkins, a therapist specializing in young adult crises. “Cars, especially older ones, can often feel unpredictable and, yes, even cruel. But they’re not gaslighting; they’re just, well, cars. It’s crucial that we teach young people to understand the difference.”
Meanwhile, Emily’s Honda Civic has refused to comment, perhaps due to its complete lack of sentience. But for now, Emily is holding her ground. She plans to start therapy—“for both of us,” she says, “because relationships require work, even when one of you is clearly the problem.”
She also plans to speak to the car’s manufacturer. “I’m writing a letter to Honda,” Emily declared. “I need to know why they make cars that feel the need to be so passive-aggressive. I mean, if it needs gas, just say it, you know? Don’t make me feel like I’m the crazy one here.”
Emily’s father can be heard yelling “It’s just a low fuel light you idiot” from across the yard. His cries being ignored due to the extreme amount of toxic masculinity uttered in his words.
Until then, Emily will continue driving around town, defiantly ignoring the low fuel light, and proving that she, for one, will not be manipulated by any vehicle—even if it means she ends up on the side of the highway calling AAA.
Gaslighting Honda exposes teen drama Gaslighting Honda exposes teen drama
